Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-09-02
PINE WOODS OF GEORGIA.
Old Habits of Southern Hospitality-Ths
Small. Economies of Poverty.

Old Habits of Southern Hospitality-The
Small Economies of Poverty.
In an hour they were in the pine woods.
AT long intervals there were openings in
which was a wide, low, many galleried
house, with its appendage of dilapidated
negro quarters and neglected farm lands
"a gray, hoary wreck of prosperous days.
The snow, which still lay in drifts in the
woods, had melted here from the saffron
Stubble fields. The houses usually ap-
peared to be over full; all of the windows
shone redly In the closing dusk; the
rooms were alive with children, with gay
young people; matrons with delicate,
fastidious faces bent over their work;
portly, handsomely dressed men loitered
in the galleries or rode down the long
avenues.
'sYou would find the old habits of hos
pitality kept up in these houses" said
Lola. "Family connections are large in
the south. A Georgian of the higher
class has cousins all through the Caro-
inas and the gulf states, just as the Vir-
ginians and Kentuckians are really all of
one blood. From five to ten guests may
drop in unlimited for any meal or come to
stay week. They are always sure of
welcome The old class of southerners
would rather give up their chance of
heaven than the pleasure of keeping open
house for their friends on earth''
Mr.. Ely's face flushed. cit is a gre-
'We lost much that was wo' uh keeping
with the old feudal systems
eyes," said Miss Pogue dryly; 'sI have
known dinner prepared in our house for
four persons, and before it was served
twenty guests arrived unexpectedly. So
it gees on all the year round''
-"That is delightful" hesitated Mrs
Ely. s'It takes one quite back to patri-
archal life. But it would not suit north
efn hOusekeepers nor northern cooks and
chambermaids.
SIT does not suit here,'' said Lola,
promptly. "Our mothers were used to it
when they had plenty of money and of
servants. But now that we have not
enough of either, the custom keeps many
family poor, and makes life treadmill
for most women. The generation belong
to, Mrs. Ety." she said, after pause, her
thin, decisive features heating, 'thave
learned to practice small economies in
poverty, and they are forced co see that
there is a great leakage in their incomes
through these old customs which. seem to
you SO beautiful and grand. Yet" she
added, with sudden pride, ri doubt if
the southerner will ever give up that
custom"
Mrs. Ely, talking matters over that |
night as usual, declared that t'the Geor-
gian girl talked and thought precisely
Like New Highlander. And, as far as I |
can see, she is not an uncommon type now |
in this new south. I have met women, |
since we came here, capable shrewd and |
alive with energy. They manage planta-
lions and shops; they raise stock, hold Of
fees, publish newspapers. Indeed, while
northern women have been clamoring for
their rights, southern women have found
their way into more careers than they.
They keep up with all the questions of the
day. Miss Lola actually gave me some
new hints on drainage. 1 suppose we
Americans have but one blood, after all,
and hard struggle with poverty will pro-
luce the same woman in Georgia as in
Connecticut. '-Rebecca Harding Davis in
aarper's MAGAZINE